Chantal Akerman was one of the filmmakers who paved the way for future feminist and experimental filmmakers by experimenting with common notions and forms of cinema. In films like Je, Tu, Il, Elle Akerman blurs the lines between reality and fiction, director and actress, as well as the particular and the universal. Lesbianism and girlhood for example are prevalent themes in Akerman’s films but they are depicted in an unfinished, fluctuating state.
This paper tries to outline how Akerman experiments with cinematic forms in one of her most known films Je, Tu, Il, Elle and in which way this film can be seen as a part of minor cinema. The idea of minor being a reference to Gillez Deleuze’s and Félix Guattari’s work on minor literature and Kafka.
The first part of this paper roughly summarizes Akerman’s Je, Tu, Il, Elle, the second part outlines the concept of minor literature and the last part connects film and theory through the works of Veronica Pravadelli, Patricia White and Ivone Margulies.
Table of Contents
- Je, Tu, Il, Elle
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3
- Minor Literature
- Deterritorialization of Language
- Individual and the Social
- Collective Arrangement of Utterance
- Minor Cinema
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper explores Chantal Akerman's cinematic experimentation in her film "Je, Tu, Il, Elle" and analyzes its connection to the concept of "minor cinema" as defined by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. By examining the film's formal elements and narrative structure, the paper aims to demonstrate how Akerman employs unconventional cinematic techniques to deconstruct conventional notions of identity and representation, particularly focusing on lesbianism and girlhood. The paper also discusses how the film's unique approach aligns with Deleuze and Guattari's theory of "minor literature," highlighting the concepts of deterritorialization, the connection between individual and political, and the collective arrangement of utterance.
- Cinematic experimentation in "Je, Tu, Il, Elle"
- The concept of "minor cinema" and its application to Akerman's film
- Deconstruction of conventional notions of identity and representation
- Lesbianism and girlhood as themes in Akerman's work
- The role of language and image in constructing subjectivity
Chapter Summaries
The first part of the paper provides a detailed summary of "Je, Tu, Il, Elle," analyzing its three distinct parts. The first part of the film focuses on Julie's introspective journey, characterized by long takes and minimal camera movements. The second part features Julie's encounter with a trucker, exploring themes of power dynamics and the blurred line between diegetic space and the audience's space. The third part delves into Julie's relationship with a woman she seems to know from the past, highlighting the use of shot-reverse-shots and the explicit depiction of lesbian intimacy.
The second part of the paper outlines the concept of "minor literature" as developed by Deleuze and Guattari, focusing on the three main aspects: deterritorialization of language, the connection of the individual and the political, and the collective arrangement of utterance.
The final part of the paper draws connections between the concepts of minor literature and minor cinema, drawing on the work of Veronica Pravadelli, Patricia White, and Ivone Margulies. It argues that "Je, Tu, Il, Elle" exemplifies minor cinema through its experimentation with language, image, and narrative structure, challenging traditional representations of identity and sexuality.
Keywords
This paper explores the key concepts of "minor cinema," "lesbian cinema," "deconstruction," "identity formation," "representation," "deterritorialization," "language," and "image." It examines how these concepts intertwine in the context of Chantal Akerman's "Je, Tu, Il, Elle" and how the film contributes to a broader understanding of feminist and experimental filmmaking.
- Quote paper
- Ceren Yildirim (Author), 2019, Minor Cinema. Chantal Akerman's "Je, Tu, Il, Elle", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/493620
